Bayer announces that the U.S. Food And Drug Administration has approved its Advantage Multi for Cats to be used on ferrets.

No flea control or heartworm control products have ever been officially labeled for use on ferrets. That changed today when Bayer HealthCare LLC Animal Health division announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of Advantage Multi® for Cats (0.4 mL size only) to prevent heartworm disease, kill adult fleas and treat flea infestations in ferrets, making it the first-ever heartworm and flea product labeled for use on ferrets.

Bayer noted that according to the American Heartworm Society (AHS), ferrets are highly susceptible to heartworm infections and can suffer the effects of heartworm disease, similar to dogs and cats. Additionally, ferrets can become infested with the same fleas that feed on dogs and cats, so it is also important to protect them from this parasite.

Advantage Multi for Cats is indicated for use on ferrets weighing at least 2 pounds. The spot-on treatment is needed once a month and should not be ingested.

In addition to the news about Advantage Multi for Cats being approved for use on ferrets, Bayer also announced expanded FDA approval for Advantage Multi for Dogs, which is now approved for the treatment of circulating microfilaria, the first life stage of heartworm, making it the only FDA-approved product labeled for microfilaria treatment. It was also approved by the FDA for the treatment and control of sarcoptic mange in dogs.

"The new indication for Bayer's Advantage Multi for Dogs as the first treatment for heartworm microfilaria is a tremendous advancement in the animal health industry that will aid veterinarians' efforts to keep dogs healthy and reduce the heartworm infection pool," said Robert Zolynas, DVM, MBA, vice president, research and development at Bayer HealthCare Animal Health. "Bayer's commitment to finding solutions to keep animals healthy is further demonstrated by the approved indications for Advantage Multi for Cats as the first heartworm and flea product for ferrets in the U.S. This is particularly important for veterinarians that treat the nearly 750,000 ferrets in the U.S."

MUMS (Minor Use and Minor Species) designation by the FDA for this intended use of Advantage Multi for Cats facilitated the approval of these first-ever ferret claims.

For more information about Advantage Multi for Cats, visit the Bayer website. Both Advantage Multi for Dogs and Advantage Multi for Cats are prescription-only products available from a licensed veterinarian or veterinary pharmacy.

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